Parties paid to toe a line at EC Forum – Mrs. Rawlings

• Posted on October 31, 2015October 31, 2015
• by Nana Kwesi Coomson
• Comment

Former First Lady Nana Konadu Agyemang-Rawlings has alleged money could have changed hands to force some political parties to toe a particular line at the EC Forum on the voters’ register.

A two-day stakeholders’ forum by the Electoral Commission ends Friday as political parties outline their views about the controversial issue.

The opposition New Patriotic Party (NPP) is spearheading the call for a new register while the ruling National Democratic Congress (NDC) is against it.

However, Nana Konadu whose National Democratic Party (NDP), is also pushing for a fresh electoral roll, feels the position of some parties have been compromised.

“It is very difficult to tell what impact [the forum] will have when you have not actually taken a proper census of who sees the problem, what the problems are and how we are going to address it,” Mrs Rawlings told Accra-based TV3.

“Because if we listen to only party positions, when we know in this country that some parties can actually decide that we going to pay XYZ so they say the things we want, you are not going to get the best out there.”

Nana Konadu stressed that the EC needs to “talk to professionals, who can see into these things and then get your opinion even as you want to talk to party leaders on these things”.

She added: “The NDP has made certain assumptions and specific issues on what is [wrong] with the register at the moment. So, we have to look at the issues we have brought up and juxtapose it against getting a new register or not.”

Nana Konadu also opined the allegations made by the NPP need to be considered. “To just wash it away and pretend it is not happening is unacceptable”.

-Starrfm